How much does a Criminal Defense Lawyer make in Milwaukee, WI?

As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Milwaukee, WI is $105,466. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $90,389 to $122,458, with most professionals earning between $76,661 and $137,928.

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Salary range for an Criminal Defense Lawyer
$90,389 to $122,458
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What is a Criminal Defense Lawyer?

A Criminal Defense Lawyer is a lawyer (mostly barristers) specializing in the defense of individuals and companies charged with criminal activity. Some criminal defense lawyers are privately retained, while others are employed by the various jurisdictions with criminal courts for appointment to represent indigent persons; the latter are generally called public defenders. The terminology is imprecise because each jurisdiction may have different practices with various levels of input from state and federal law or consent decrees. Some jurisdictions use a rotating system of appointments, with ju...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 09/06/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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RELEVANT JOB EXPERIENCE

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Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
90389
122458
105466

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
93336
130371
110299
What is the average salary for Criminal Defense Lawyer in 2025?
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Criminal Defense Lawyer in Milwaukee, WI. The base salary for Criminal Defense Lawyer ranges from $90,389 to $122,458 with the average base salary of $105,466. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $93,336 to $130,371 with the average total cash compensation of $110,299.
Average Salary Average Salary Range
Base Salary $105,466 $90,389 - $122,458
Bonus $4,832 $2,947 - $7,913
Total Pay $110,299 $93,336 - $130,371
* Base Salary represents gross income before taxes and deductions. It does not include additional pay such as benefits, bonuses, profit sharing or commissions.
* Total Pay combines base salary, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job.
CITY, STATE AVERAGE SALARY RANGE COMPARE TO Milwaukee, WI
CITY, STATE Waukesha, WI AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $90,055 - $122,006 COMPARE TO Milwaukee, WI
CITY, STATE Racine, WI AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $87,274 - $118,238 COMPARE TO Milwaukee, WI
CITY, STATE Kenosha, WI AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $87,274 - $118,238 COMPARE TO Milwaukee, WI
CITY, STATE Waukegan, IL AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $88,800 - $120,305 COMPARE TO Milwaukee, WI
CITY, STATE Janesville, WI AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $87,192 - $118,128 COMPARE TO Milwaukee, WI
CITY, STATE Mount Prospect, IL AVERAGE SALARY RANGE $92,980 - $125,969 COMPARE TO Milwaukee, WI
See salaries for Criminal Defense Lawyer in locations close to Milwaukee, WI. Pay for the same job may vary based on the location and on the location and on other factors such as the size of company, the industry, and other local conditions.
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JOB TITLE LOCATION MINIMUM SALARY MAXIMUM SALARY
JOB TITLE Criminal Lawyer LOCATION Milwaukee, WI MINIMUM SALARY $90,389 MAXIMUM SALARY $122,458
JOB TITLE Criminal Defense Investigator LOCATION Milwaukee, WI MINIMUM SALARY $65,466 MAXIMUM SALARY $85,067
JOB TITLE Criminal Defense Attorney LOCATION Milwaukee, WI MINIMUM SALARY $84,495 MAXIMUM SALARY $116,461
JOB TITLE Criminal Defense Paralegal LOCATION Milwaukee, WI MINIMUM SALARY $83,483 MAXIMUM SALARY $102,823
JOB TITLE Criminal Investigator LOCATION Milwaukee, WI MINIMUM SALARY $65,538 MAXIMUM SALARY $85,161
JOB TITLE Defense Attorney LOCATION Milwaukee, WI MINIMUM SALARY $90,389 MAXIMUM SALARY $122,458
The Criminal Defense Lawyer job could be listed using titles that are not exactly the same, but actually are for the same or very similar job. Here are some job titles in Milwaukee, WI that might be a good fit for the type of job and salary you are looking for.

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90389
122458

 

About Milwaukee, Wisconsin    Milwaukee lies along the shores and bluffs of Lake Michigan at the confluence of three rivers: the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic, and the Milwaukee. Sma....More

Milwaukee, Wisconsin  area prices were up 1.8% from a year ago

Criminal Defense Lawyer Salary in popular cities: MadisonGreen BayKenosha

Jobs with a similar salary range to Criminal Defense Lawyer : Criminal Defense Attorney, Closing Attorney, Junior Legal Counsel